A Guide on Tenant Verification Process 2024

As a property owner, you are responsible for verifying the tenant when renting out your property. The tenant verification becomes extremely important as it validates the tenant’s identity. Also, it assures that there will be no defaults in the rent payments, and he will adhere to the terms and conditions given in the rent agreement. Here in this article, you will get a step-wise tenant verification process that can help you to avoid the complexities while renting out your properties. 

Importance of Tenant Verification

More than 60% of the landlords in India face challenges due to improper tenant verification.

The best approach for tenant verification is to know the objectives of tenant verification first.

This will streamline the entire tenant verification process and ensure the right screening of the tenants.

Here are the general objectives of the tenant verification-

• To know the personal and professional details of the tenant.
• To understand the previous track record of the tenant.
• To get the assurance of timely payment on the rents.
• To ensure no legal and personal disputes with the tenant.
• To have the valid information to take the right action in case of mischief.

 Knowing the objectives of the tenant verification allows you to create a series of questions that you can ask the tenant constructively.

Tenant Verification Process

First up, when should you carry out the tenant verification process?

The right approach is to carry out the background checks and verification before preparing and signing the rent agreement.

Generally, the Tenant Verification process can be categorized into two stages.

• Tenant Background Check and Verification
• Tenant Police Verification

Each of these stages is important for tenant verification. And therefore, an in-depth understanding of both is necessary.

Let’s check out the tenant verification process here-

Tenant Background Check and Verification

This self- verification involves checking and verifying the personal and professional details of the tenant.

The tenant verification also includes checking the rent payment capabilities and the previous track record of the tenant.

Here is a complete checklist to carry Tenant Background and Verification.

• Basic Personal Details- Name, Family Members, Permanent address or previous address, and the references, etc
• Professional Details- Employment Status, Office Address, Office person references, Income Capabilities, liabilities, etc
• Past Rental History- Reference of the previous landlord, rent payment track record, defaults if any,
• Other Details- Legal or financial liabilities if any, future relocation possibilities, etc

Asking the right questions in the tenant verification process is crucial.

Here are the series of questions you can ask while doing the tenant background and verification.

Questions for Checking The Basic Personal Details In Tenant Verification

Questions for Checking Professional Details In Tenant Verification

Questions for Checking the Past Rental History In Tenant Verification

The self-screening for the tenant verification is important. This, however, may not be sufficient, and therefore the police verification of the tenants comes into play.

Tenant Police Verification

The Major municipality has made Tenant Police Verification compulsory.

Though there is no provision of the necessity of the tenant verification in the Model Tenancy Act 2021, it is necessary to make a Tenant Police verification for the safety of the tenant or the landlord.

The tenant police verification can be done by visiting the local police stations and filling up the form.

Also, you can make the Tenant Police verification online which saves the considerable time involved in the offline tenant verification.

In some cities, the mobile application is introduced to simplify the online tenant verification process.

Why Is Tenant Police Verification Important

The Tenant Police Verification has not only safeguarded the interest of the landlord and the tenants but also has curbed the illegal activities linked to renting the properties.

Preventing the legal mischiefs around the rented property

 After The Tenant’s police verification, the tenants do not readily resort to the illegal activities in the rented property. Even if the illegal activities take place, it becomes easy to track and take further actions.

Keeping the criminal track

In case any illegal activity takes place it becomes easy to track the tenant and the landlord does not have to bear the responsibility for the illegal actions.

Curb on Terror Activities

Tenant Police verification has contributed considerably to avoiding the rental apartments linked to terrorist activities.

Here is the Stepwise Process For The Tenant Police Verification

• Collect the Tenant Police Verification from the nearest police stations or download it online.
• Ask the Tenant to fill in the important details as required in the Tenant Police Verification.
• The tenant should provide a copy of the required documents in the police verification.
• Submit the police verification form along with the required documents to the nearby police station.

Online Tenant Verification Process

The online tenant verification process has simplified the entire verification process.

The tenant can now register online and submit the tenant verification online through the official website provided by the municipal locality.

Some cities such as Delhi and Chennai have provided mobile applications for online tenant verification.

Here is the Online Tenant Verification Process

• The landlord has to create an account on the official website of the respective state police.
• Fill in the basic personal details- Name, Email ID, contact details and create an account.
• Then select the tenant or pg verification section.
• Then fill in the details in the landlord detail section and the tenant details section.
• Upload the important documents such as a photograph, signature, and the Adhaar Card.
• Confirm the declaration that the information provided is authentic
• Make the online payment if applicable
• Once the application is submitted, you can check the approval status on the online tenant verification.

Online Tenant Verification Step Wise Process Overview

Online Tenant Verification

You can do online tenant verification by visiting the official site of the respective state police.

Here are the state-wise Online Tenant Verification Links

FAQs